2005 Château Grand-Mayne

Château Grand Mayne is a 42-acre estate in the St.-Emilion appellation. It is a Grand Cru of the St.t-Emilion classification. Grand Mayne’s history goes back to the 16th century, and by the early 19th century the estate included more than 500 acres. But 19th century inheritance laws required that the state be gradually broken up. Today the château enjoys an unusually high altitude at 55 meters above sea level and has an enviable terroir of clay, limestone and iron. Vineyards are planted to 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. About 60,000 bottles are produced annually. The second wine is Les Plantes du Mayne. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called the estate’s wines “some of the most opulent and richest now being made in St.-Emilion….Grand Mayne is one of the up-and-coming stars of the appellation.”

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.